This year, the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS) started the season in Chandler, Arizona, but returned to the Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park in Southern California on April 23-24  for Rounds 3 and 4.

The action was intense in Arizona, and everyone was expecting plenty of action at the track. With the season far from over, and plenty of points still up for grabs, the weekend Pro 2 and Pro 4 races did not disappoint.

Coming in hot!

Tempers Fly On Saturday

Spectators may only see or think of the main event races, but each and every round requires drivers to qualify for their spots earlier in the day. This allows drivers to put their trucks though the paces and work out any bugs — and also to set the field for the main event later in the day.

Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park has the highest jumps in the entire LOORRS series.

Last year, in Pro 4, Kyle LeDuc won almost every race — and at one point had a streak of 13 short-course wins in a row — and brought home the championship. This year, the bullseye was on “Steelo,” the name LeDuc gave his truck, so drivers took every measure they could to ensure they could see him in the rearview mirror, and not the other way around.

“We had good speed and good laps, but we just missed on some of our gear ratios,” LeDuc said after qualifying. “I was able to come back, sit down, and kick my own butt on what I did and did wrong. You can’t win them all, and you have to rebound back and get some speed.”

Kyle LeDuc did not have the best of luck in Lake Elsinore.

Commenting on the track and its conditions, LeDuc said, “They take care of the track for the national series. The regional series here can be dry, but all we hope for are great conditions. It can be scary when you go into a turn at 85 miles per hour and it is ripped up. It makes the cars want to flip over.”

LeDuc came out swinging when it came time to race. Carl Renezeder got the hole shot and the lead, but the battle between LeDuc and Rob MacCachren raged on. LeDuc was able to pass MacCachren on the second lap, but later got a flat tire, and hit the pits to replace it. Other vehicle issues ensued and he was forced to limp around the course to finish for some valuable points.

On a later restart, Bryce Menzies passed leader Greg Adler, but Renezeder could not be caught. He brought home his second win of the year and pushed his point lead even higher.

Renezeder’s day was not over, as he was pulling double duty and racing in Pro 2 as well. “Both trucks are really dialed in, he said after qualifying. “We made a few adjustments to the Pro 2, and qualified right where we want to be. The trucks can take anything I give them.”

Bryce Menzies was all over the place during the weekend.

Menzies took off on another great start and led the majority of the race, overtaking Jeremy McGrath who was leading the beginning part of the race. The truck to watch during this race was No. 38 of Brian Deegan, however he picked up a rear flat which caused him to pit with not much time left in the race.

Knowing Deegan and how he drives, it was not time to count him out, but time to watch him work through the pack and get back to the front — and he did just that. After a full course caution, he worked through the field, gaining ground and closer to the front to the top five, but was still behind Menzies for third place.

Menzies tried to make a move on RJ Anderson on Turn 3, but Deegan had other plans. Menzies and Deegan came door-to-door in the turn and Menzies was spun out by Deegan, with Menzies falling to the back of the pack.

Renezeder ending up taking home the win, followed by Anderson, and Deegan in third. With racing over and trucks exiting the track, Menzies repeatedly nudged alongside Deegan and tempers flew. We can say for a fact that it looked like they were not going to grab any post-race drinks together.

Menzies was disqualified for his actions, and did not receive any points for the round. This put an end to Saturday, and it was time for the teams to make any changes in preparation for Round 4 qualifying on Sunday morning.

Dust Flies On Sunday

After an action-packed, eventful day of racing on Saturday, it was time to fire up the trucks and hit the dirt for Round 4 to determine a race winner.

Pro 4 kicked off the main event. The conflict between Menzies and Deegan may have fueled Menzies’ driving, because he seemed to be on a mission to earn the  top spot on the podium. Starting in the middle of the pack, Menzies slowly made his way to the front. After a restart, Menzies passed Adler on a turn before finishing second. Renezeder was once again the top dog in Pro 4, and Adler rounded out the podium. Menzies admitted from the podium that he simply “didn’t have the speed” to catch Renezeder.

Which line do you take? Which ever one is open!

Racing favorites LeDuc and MacCachren continued to have troubles in the race, and both finished towards the bottom of the class. Do not be so quick to count these two drivers out for the season, as they will push their trucks to ensure they are on the podium in Utah.

After the actions on the course the day before, Menzies kept at it in Pro 2 and was not going to let the hiccup hold him back. He began the race in second place behind McGrath, but soon made a pass on the Maxxis Tire-sponsored truck and moved into first place.

Rob MacCachren is one of the most experienced off-road drivers on the track.

In Menzies’ rearview mirror was the truck that caused him to fall off the podium the day before, and Deegan pushed Menzies the entire race. The two drivers battled for the lead, regardless of how many full-course cautions were called.

In spite of their best efforts, no one had what it took to knock Menzies off the podium in the final race of the weekend, and he brought home his second win in the class this year. Deegan finished second and Anderson made the podium for the second straight round in third place.

“Today was a good race, it seemed pretty simple,” Menzies said. “Once I passed McGrath, it was just keeping my space and my gaps. The course was pretty slippery to start, but it got more traction towards the end of the race. With the final yellow, and Deegan behind me, I knew there would be a battle. After being disqualified yesterday, I knew I needed to get all the points I could.”

There was plenty of action for spectators to enjoy during short-course racing in Lake Elsinore.

“I just wasn’t close enough to do it again,” Deegan joked, about Saturday’s incident. Both he and Menzies see it as fun and games, but paint will be exchanged in short-course racing and the battles will always be there.

Anderson said, “The battles were gnarly. With the issues I was having at the end of the race, I was in survival mode. I know that being in the last podium spot, guys were gunning for me. I am just super stoked to be able to be on the podium two days in a row.”

The series now heads to Utah Motorsports Camp, formerly the Miller Motorsports Park, in Tooele, Utah where the action picks up May 21-22. It will return to Southern California July 23-24 at Glen Helen Raceway, and in Lake Elsinore from September 23-24. For a full schedule, check out the LOORRS website.

Be sure to see the gallery below from this weekend. Did you make it out to the event? Share your pictures in the comments below!